The preparation of a beverage by a capsule containing beverage ingredient is known. In general, the capsule is inserted in a beverage production device, such as a coffee machine, liquid is fed in the capsule and a beverage is extracted from the capsule under pressure or by gravity.
The preparation of a beverage by using the centrifugation is known. The principle mainly consists in providing a beverage ingredient in a container of the capsule, feeding liquid in the receptacle and rotating the receptacle at elevated speed to ensure interaction of liquid with powder while creating a gradient of pressure of liquid in the receptacle; such pressure increasing gradually from the centre towards the periphery of the receptacle. As liquid traverses the coffee bed, extraction of the coffee compounds takes place and a liquid extract is obtained that flows out at the periphery of the receptacle.
The term “capsule” refers to any flexible, rigid or semi-rigid container containing beverage ingredient. Other synonymous to a capsule are: “pod”, “pad”, “cartridge” or “sachet”. The capsule can be single use. The container can also be filled with ingredient by the user to form the capsule just before use.
The term “ingredient” means any suitable beverage substance such as ground coffee, soluble coffee, leaf tea, soluble tea, herbal tea, dairy powder, culinary powder, baby food and combination thereof.
After preparation of the beverage, the used capsule is generally removed by hand from the receptacle of the apparatus after opening a cover closing the receptacle during the beverage production. This operation may be dangerous in case of hot beverages preparation where the capsule remains hot after brewing. To solve this safety problem, the cover remains closed until the capsule is cooled down. This quite long cooling period presents a drawback when several beverages have to be produced in a short time.
There are beverage apparatuses in which the capsule is guided during its insertion in an opened brewing unit along substantially vertical sliders and retained in an intermediate position by lateral retaining means such as fixed or retractable or pivotal elements as described in WO2005/004683. When the brewing unit is closed, the capsule is forced to move from its intermediate position to its extraction position. The ejection of the capsule is obtained when the brewing unit is re-opened because the capsule is no longer retained by the retaining element and falls by gravity. However, such system is not appropriate for a receptacle holding a capsule substantially horizontally or with a low angle relative to horizontal.
In some other apparatus configurations, the receptacle tilts according to an angle defined so that the used capsule falls directly into a container when beverage production is terminated and the cover of the receptacle opened.
For example, international patent publication WO2009/113035 relates to a beverage preparation apparatus comprising an opening and closing mechanism to open and close the capsule holder relative to the extraction head wherein the apparatus comprises an ejection mechanism of the capsule comprising a pusher configured for leveraging the capsule by engaging with the capsule flange when the extraction head is opened in an upward position.
However, for a correct ejection of the capsule, the system must fulfill certain design's constraints. In particular, it requires that the device is sufficiently inclined and that the pusher is sufficiently long and is curved for dislodging the capsule from the capsule holder.
In another alternative solution of WO2009/113035, the capsule receiver is hinged to be able to rotate and place the capsule on a curved fixed rail assembly for ejection. However, in order for the capsule to be properly ejected, an acceleration of the receiver is necessary when rotated. Therefore, the success of the ejection is highly dependent on the opening speed of the device. Furthermore, such construction is very cumbersome.
Document GB2449420B discloses a capsule ejection system based on a clamping mechanism integrated in a head of a beverage production apparatus. At ejection, a used capsule is seized by a clamp and the head carrying thus the capsule moves horizontally rearwards to an ejection position where the capsule is released by the clamp and falls by gravity into a space behind the head.
Such a system for seizing and transporting a capsule from a brewing position to an ejection position involves a very complex and failure sensitive mechanism which construction, production and maintenance may present costs effectiveness problems.
EP1669011 refers to a delivery head for espresso coffee machine comprising a top supporting element pivoted to a bottom supporting element. Ejecting means are provided which include a capsule ejecting fork pivoted to a pivot pin applied to the bottom supporting element and an annular portion designed for encompassing the top of the capsule which is suitable provided with a rim. As the top supporting element is raised, the fork element is raised too owing to the provision of tooth elements formed on the fork element and cooperating with respective slanted planes or surfaces of the top supporting element which operate as a linear cam. The fork element lifts the capsule and upon achieving a set inclination, the capsule slides on the fork element and falls into a collecting vessel. Then, when the mentioned inclination is exceeded, the tooth element of the fork disengaged from the slanted surfaces of the top supporting element. Accordingly the fork element returns to its starting position in which is abuts against the bottom supporting element. The requirement of tooth elements with the fork to provide such a disengaging operation at a given inclination is prone to wearing and/or blocking issues.